Mastering けれども (keredomo): The Polite Japanese Conjunction for “Although” and “But”

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Mastering けれども (keredomo): The Polite Japanese Conjunction for “Although” and “But”
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“But,” “although,” “however,” “even though.”

🎯 Primary Function

To serve as a conjunctive particle that connects two clauses with a contrasting or concessive relationship in a polite or formal manner.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb Plain Form (e.g., 行く, 行った) + けれども
I-Adjective Plain Form (e.g., 高い, 高かった) + けれども
Na-Adjective + だ (or な) + けれども
Negative Plain Form (V-ない, I-adj -くない) + けれども

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Very common. Preferred over ‘けど’ and often over ‘が’ in highly formal speech, business writing, and presentations due to its respectful tone.

😊 Informal Situations

Used, but less frequently than the shortened ‘けど’ or ‘が’. It can sound slightly stiff or overly polite among close friends.

✍️ Written Language

Widely used in essays, reports, and formal letters to connect paragraphs or sentences smoothly.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Common, particularly in situations requiring politeness (e.g., interacting with strangers, superiors, or in customer service). Often shortened to ‘けど’ (kedo).

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Contrast or Contradiction
The most common use is to link two opposing or contrasting ideas. The second clause often presents an unexpected outcome or fact relative to the first.
Example: 彼は日本語が上手だけれども、漢字は少し苦手だ。 (Kare wa Nihongo ga jōzu da keredomo, kanji wa sukoshi nigate da.)
Politely Introducing a Topic or Request
Used to soften the transition into a new topic, make a polite request, or present a difficulty, making the speaker sound considerate and less abrupt. This is often seen as a formal/polite version of ‘が’.
Example: お忙しいところ申し訳ないけれども、少しお時間をいただけますか。 (O-isogashii tokoro mōshiwakenai keredomo, sukoshi o-jikan o itadakemasu ka.)
Acknowledging a Preceding Statement (Hesitation)
When used mid-sentence or followed by a pause, it indicates hesitation or reservation, suggesting the speaker is about to present a counterpoint or difficulty after acknowledging the previous point.
Example: A: これはどうですか。 B: いい考えだけれども…。 (A: Kore wa dō desu ka. B: Ii kangae da keredomo…)
📊
Frequency
High (especially in formal conversations and written Japanese)
🎚️
Difficulty
N4 – Foundational Conjunction
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N5 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N5 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
食べ物は美味しかったけれども、量が少し少なかったです。
Furigana: たべものは おいしかった けれども、りょうが すこし すくなかったです。
Romaji: Tabemono wa oishikatta keredomo, ryō ga sukoshi sukunakatta desu.
English: The food was delicious, but the portion was too small.
Example #2
パーティーに行きたいけれども、明日仕事があります。
Furigana: パーティーに いきたい けれども、あした しごとが あります。
Romaji: Pātī ni ikitai keredomo, ashita shigoto ga arimasu.
English: I want to go to the party, but I have work tomorrow.
Example #3
安い車だけれども、性能はとても良いです。
Furigana: やすい くるま だ けれども、きのうは とても いいです。
Romaji: Yasui kuruma da keredomo, seinō wa totemo ii desu.
English: It’s a cheap car, but the performance is very good.
Example #4
あなたの気持ちは分かるけれども、その提案には賛成できません。
Furigana: あなたの きもちは わかる けれども、その ていあんに は さんせい できません。
Romaji: Anata no kimochi wa wakaru keredomo, sono teian ni wa sansei dekimasen.
English: I understand your feelings, but I can’t agree with that proposal.
Example #5
すみませんけれども、駅への道を教えていただけませんか。
Furigana: すみません けれども、えきへの みちを おしえていただけませんか。
Romaji: Sumimasen keredomo, eki e no michi o oshiete itadakemasen ka.
English: Excuse me, but could you tell me the way to the station?
Example #6
雨が降っていたけれども、子供達はやはり遊びに出かけました。
Furigana: あめが ふっていた けれども、こどもたちは やはり あそびに でかけました。
Romaji: Ame ga futteita keredomo, kodomotachi wa yahari asobi ni dekakemashita.
English: Although it was raining, the children still went out to play.
Example #7
この本は有名だけれども、まだ読んでいません。
Furigana: この ほんは ゆうめいだ けれども、まだ よんでいません。
Romaji: Kono hon wa yūmei da keredomo, mada yonde imasen.
English: This book is famous, but I haven’t read it yet.
Example #8
試験は難しかったけれども、なんとか合格できたと思います。
Furigana: しけんは むずかしかった けれども、なんとか ごうかく できたと おもいます。
Romaji: Shiken wa muzukashikatta keredomo, nantoka gōkaku dekita to omoimasu.
English: The exam was difficult, but I think I managed to pass.
Example #9
たくさん勉強したけれども、結果は良くないです。
Furigana: たくさん べんきょうした けれども、けっかは よくないです。
Romaji: Takusan benkyō shita keredomo, kekka wa yokunai desu.
English: I studied a lot, but the results weren’t good.
Example #10
真実は知っているけれども、誰にも言えない。
Furigana: しんじつは しっている けれども、だれにも いえない。
Romaji: Shinjitsu wa shitteiru keredomo, dare nimo ienai.
English: I know the truth, but I can’t tell anyone.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Use as a Soft Interjection/Buffer
Used as a soft preface, ‘けれども’ can be used as a simple interjection or filler to introduce a sentence, often softening an apology, request, or negative statement.
Example: 大変恐縮ですけれども、明日は欠席させていただきます。 (Taihen kyōshuku desu keredomo, ashita wa kesseki sasete itadakimasu.)
Strong Concessive Meaning
The concessive meaning (‘although,’ ‘even though’) is strong. It emphasizes the contrast between the effort/condition in the first clause and the result in the second.
Example: 彼は頑張ったけれども、残念ながら不合格だった。 (Kare wa ganbatta keredomo, zannennagara fugōkaku datta.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 使いますけれども (Tsukaimasu keredomo) when writing formally.
✅ 使いたいけれども (Tsukaitai keredomo)
‘けれども’ should attach to the plain form of the verb/adjective. The common polite forms (-masu/-desu) must be converted to their plain forms before attaching ‘けれども’, although following the polite form is common in spoken Japanese (e.g., 食べますけれども). For written Japanese, plain form attachment is standard.
❌ 静かなけれども (Shizuka na keredomo)
✅ 静かだけれども (Shizuka da keredomo)
When attaching to a な-adjective (like 静か shizuka), the copula だ is required in the plain form (静かだけれども), although omitting the copula and just using the stem (静かだけれども) is common when following the polite です. The common error is inserting ‘な’ (like in ‘なのに’) which isn’t standard here.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Medium-High (Polite). It is notably more formal and less direct than its siblings ‘が’ and ‘けど’.
Social Situations: Ideal for situations where you need to present a conflicting idea or a delicate matter without sounding demanding or abrupt, such as requesting a favor from a senior colleague or offering a critique.
Regional Variations: The shortened forms ‘けど’ and ‘けども’ are much more common in everyday spoken Japanese across all regions. The full ‘けれども’ is often associated with formal speech or writing.

🔍 Subtle Differences

けれども vs. が (ga)
‘が’ is generally a more neutral, simple link for contrast. ‘けれども’ is distinctly more formal and carries a stronger sense of concession or politeness.
When to use: Use ‘けれども’ for higher politeness, formal writing, or when you want to soften a statement significantly. Use ‘が’ for general conversational contrast.
けれども vs. けど (kedo)
‘けど’ is the direct, contracted, and informal version of ‘けれども’. They share the same function but differ greatly in register.
When to use: Use ‘けど’ exclusively in casual conversation with friends and family. Use ‘けれども’ in formal or business settings.

📝 Conjugation Notes

‘けれども’ is one of the few conjunctions that can attach to both plain forms (the standard grammatical rule) AND polite forms (-masu, -desu), especially in spoken language. Attaching to the polite form (e.g., 寒いですけれども) slightly increases the level of politeness and is a common feature of natural speech.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounce the three syllables clearly: ke-re-do-mo. In quick spoken Japanese, especially when shortened to ‘けど’, the ‘e’ sounds can sometimes be reduced, but in the full form ‘けれども’, keep the pronunciation clear to maintain formality.

🧠 Memory Tips

Relate it to the phrase ‘けれど’ (keredo), which itself is a contraction. ‘けれども’ is the full, most formal version. Think of the extra two kana (‘も’) adding extra length, which equates to extra politeness.

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